University of Michigan Engineering School graduate (1937-1941); aeronautical engineer (1941-1945) at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run Bomber Plant; aeronautical engineer (1945-1946) North American Aviation, Inglewood, California; research engineer (1946-1980); Ford Motor Company's Research and Engineering Center, Dearborn, Michigan.
World War II from the Willow Run Bomber Plant, Selective Service, wartime Office of Price Administration (rationing) during his work as an aeronautical engineer in the aircraft industry. The papers also consist of technical papers, photos, and public relations brochures related to his career at the Ford Motor Company's Research & Engineering Center including a collaborative research project with the late Prof. Harm Buning in 1966 with the University of Michigan wind tunnel on North Campus.
The papers show glimpses of a University of Michigan Engineering School graduate in aeronautical engineering starting his career in a defense plant during World War II, entering the private aircraft industry in California, after the war's end, then returning to the Detroit area to work for a Big Three automobile manufacturer--the Ford Motor Company. The value of the engineering school training can be seen in the accomplishments of Francis N. Beauvais who applied his skills as an aeronautical engineer to development of aerodynamic testing of Ford automobiles and also collaboration as an alumnus with the University of Michigan's Engineering School in 1966 in solving a problem. Included are some war time ephemera and later brochures from Ford Motor Company. A special set of 12 black and white photos was taken in 1941 showing test apparatus inside the original University of Michigan wind tunnel in the East Engineering building. There are also some color slides showing various university buildings, the Indiana v. Michigan homecoming football game of 1946, the arboretum, and some scenes around Ann Arbor.
